6 things to do these school holidays on the Gold Coast

It’s pretty hard for boredom to set in on the Gold Coast, but in case you get stuck, here’s a list of special school holiday activities to keep the kids entertained!

1. New rides

September always signals an exciting time at the theme parks on the Gold Coast as new rides are revealed just in time for school holidays. Check out Dreamworld’s newest thrill ride, Tail Spin and the Triple Vortex waterslide next door at WhiteWater World. Over the road at Wet’n’Wild Water World, younger kids are being looked after with Wet’n’Wild junior – all the bits you love best, made mini – and a Junior Driving School.

2. Circus school

Run away and join the circus these school holidays with the Mega Mix Circus Workshop at Circus Arts Gold Coast on 21 September. Over two hours, you’ll learn juggling, acro-balance, twirling, pyramid building and hula hooping, but the most exciting part of the day will come when you swing high on the flying trapeze! The workshop runs Thursdays and Sundays at 11am. Cost: $49 per person.

3. Instameets

Got a smartphone? Got an Instagram account? Great. Let the iPhoneography begin! On Saturday 4 October, Queensland is holding the biggest Instameet. Ever. That means people like you, all around the state, are going to meet up in groups to snap away and upload their pics to Instagram in the biggest show-and-tell about their hometown or holiday spot. Find out where you can get in on the action here. Confused? Get the lowdown on Instameets here.

4. Kids week

Yeah, yeah, we know it’s the school holidays… which is exactly why Saturday 20 September signals the start of Kids Week in Surfers Paradise. Check out the main stage throughout the weekend to see live performances by Peppa Pig, as well as Paradise Resort and Currumbin Wildlife Shows. You can join a free 40-minute Aerial Angels circus school session, happening every day between 10am-3pm in Cavill Mall.

​5. Rock lobster

Catch the end of Swell Sculpture Festival in Currumbin, which wraps up on Sunday 21 September, to see awesome sculptures lining the beach. Then head to the Currumbin Rock Pools – one of the best hidden secrets on the coast. Pack a picnic and enjoy lunch under the shade of the trees and if you’re ready to brave the water, jump in for a swim.

6. ​Whale spotter

The most exciting natural show on earth is travelling past the Gold Coast right now so jump aboard one of the whale watching tour boats to get in on the action. Thousands of happy humpbacks whales are currently on the move back to Antarctica after travelling up to the Great Barrier Reef on their annual visit and can be seen playing off the coast until November.

Author

Home is definitely where the heart is for Celeste Mitchell who grew up on the Sunshine Coast but has been a bit of a gypsy ever since. After years of writing about boy bands, puberty, dating, fashion and everything in between for some of Australia's top magazines she now travels the world and writes about it for Escape, Australian Traveller, Jetstar magazine and Collective. Consequently, she’s been blocked from many friends’ Facebook feeds.

I can highly recommend whale watching as a school holiday activity. My nine year old said it was ‘awesome’. I’ve written about a recent family trip to watch whales off the Gold Coast on my blog http://www.brisbaneandbeyond.com.au